Converts .doc and .docx to ODT so the file stays editable in LibreOffice or OpenOffice; .docm macro files aren't supported.
Introduction
Word documents (.doc, .docx) are built around Microsoft's own document format. ODT — the format used by LibreOffice Writer and OpenOffice Writer — is a separate, openly specified format built for those free, open-source office suites. The two aren't interchangeable without conversion: opening a Word file directly in LibreOffice usually works reasonably well, but saving changes back in ODT, or starting a document that needs to stay editable specifically in LibreOffice or OpenOffice going forward, is where an actual format conversion becomes useful rather than optional.
How the conversion works
This tool renders your Word document the way a desktop word processor would, then saves that as an ODT file rather than a fixed format like PDF. Unlike converting to PDF, the result stays fully editable — headings, paragraphs, tables, images, and lists all carry over as editable content, not a flattened image or fixed layout. It accepts .doc and .docx files up to 20 MB.
The file picker on this page also lists .docm (macro-enabled Word documents) as a selectable file type, but the conversion itself only supports .doc and .docx — a .docm file will be accepted by the picker, start uploading, and then fail. If your file is a .docm, save it as a regular .docx in Word first (macros won't carry over to ODT either way, since ODT has its own, incompatible macro system).
You can convert several files in one session: each uploads and converts independently, and once two or more finish, a "Download all" option bundles the results into a single ZIP file.
Why someone would need an ODT file
ODT matters specifically when the document needs to keep working in LibreOffice or OpenOffice rather than Word. A few real situations where that comes up:
- Shared or school computers that only have LibreOffice installed. Not every lab or shared machine has a Microsoft Word license; converting to ODT means the file opens and edits cleanly on that software instead of relying on Word-specific formatting being interpreted correctly by another program.
- A school or organization that standardizes on open formats. Some institutions prefer ODT specifically because it's an open, vendor-neutral standard rather than a format controlled by one company — useful to know if you've been asked to submit a document as ODT rather than Word.
- Keeping a document editable without needing a paid license for whoever opens it next, since LibreOffice and OpenOffice are both free.
- Long-term access to a document without depending on one company's software staying available or affordable. Because ODT is an open, published standard rather than a proprietary format, a document saved as ODT can be opened by any software that implements the standard, now or in the future — not only by whichever version of Word happens to still read the original file correctly.
If the document is finished and just needs to be shared or submitted as-is, without further editing, Word To PDF is usually the better choice — ODT is for continuing to edit, PDF is for a fixed, final copy.
What to check before you rely on the result
- Uncommon fonts are substituted with a similar available one during conversion, which can shift spacing or line breaks slightly. Common fonts (Arial, Calibri, Liberation Sans, Times New Roman) convert most predictably, since they're available on both sides of the conversion.
- Complex or heavily nested tables and embedded objects may render with small layout differences — worth a check for anything with detailed formatting, especially a table with merged cells or an object like an embedded spreadsheet.
- Password-protected documents are likely to fail to convert, since the tool can't supply a password on your behalf — remove protection in Word first.
- Word-specific macros don't carry over: ODT has its own macro system, incompatible with Word's. A converted document keeps its content and formatting, not any macros the original had.
- Selecting a large file doesn't guarantee it will convert. The upload screen allows selecting files up to 100 MB, but the conversion itself only accepts Word files up to 20 MB — a larger file will start uploading and then return an error rather than being blocked upfront.
When this is the right tool
- Continuing to edit a Word document in LibreOffice or OpenOffice, where working natively in ODT avoids repeated format-conversion friction every time the file is saved.
- Submitting a document as ODT specifically because that's what's been requested — some schools and organizations ask for open formats rather than Word files.
- Sharing an editable document with someone who doesn't have Word, where PDF wouldn't work because they need to actually change the content, not just read it.
Example
A student writes an assignment at home in Word, then needs to keep working on it at school, where the computer lab only has LibreOffice installed. Rather than fight with formatting quirks from opening a .docx file directly in unfamiliar software, converting it to ODT first gives a file built natively for that program — the tables, headings, and layout stay intact, and editing continues without needing Word installed anywhere.
FAQs
Which Word formats are supported?
.doc and .docx, up to 20 MB. .docm files can be selected but will fail during conversion — save as .docx first.
Will the ODT file still be editable?
Yes — unlike converting to PDF, the result stays a fully editable document, not a fixed layout.
Do Word macros carry over?
No. ODT uses its own, incompatible macro system, so any macros in the original Word document are not part of the converted file.
Can I convert several files at once?
Yes — each converts independently, and a "Download all" option appears once two or more finish, bundling them into a ZIP file.
Is my file kept afterward?
No. Files are processed only to complete the conversion and are automatically deleted within 2 hours — see the Privacy Policy for details.
What happens to a password-protected document?
The conversion will likely fail, since the tool can't supply a password on your behalf. Remove the password in Word before uploading.
Why would I need ODT instead of just keeping the file as Word?
Mainly when the document needs to stay editable specifically in LibreOffice or OpenOffice — a shared computer without Word installed, an institution that asks for open-format submissions, or simply not wanting to depend on one company's software to keep the document accessible long-term.